Select Local Merchants

With spring spreading like a bag of spilled gravy, now is the ideal time to throw open the windows and get home and lawncare projects underway. Reclaim the yard from winter's occupation with Adams Adirondack stacking chairs ($14.99 each) and an Ace Flexogen 50-foot garden hose ($19.99). Illuminate outdoor living spaces with a 6-pack of Solar Walk Lights ($12.99) or the welcoming blaze inside a Living Accents portable firepit ($29.99). Ace also covers indoor bases with products and services for tree-free areas of the home. If you need to match paint to a favorite coverlet or choose a hue that complements a pleather recliner, each store offers a paint-matching service free of charge.

Eco Educational Toys ignites imaginations and fosters environmental awareness with their 6-In-1 Solar Educational Toy kit. With the help of detailed instructions, fledgling engineers can cobble together six different gadgets sans glue from the kit’s 37 pieces. Construction sessions kick off with the assembly of a central solar motor that powers the toy without the hassles of replacing batteries or the danger of chopping logs for tiny wood-burning engines. Teach a newly minted robotic dog old tricks, or whip up one of two airplanes to keep their paper-made cousins from invading personal airspace. Other possible iterations of the toy include a graceful windmill, a water-loving powerboat, and a moon car well equipped to handle lunar roundabouts. Once builders have become adept at erecting one model, they can raze their creation and bring a new one to life.